Once I read that civilization actually means the availability of services. If so, I have to say that last week I was proud to live in Romania.
Everything started when a colleague saw some tiles on the building across that were hanging and almost falling. As a good citizen and concerned on the welfare of the others, he called the fire department to inform them and ask them what will be the best thing to do. Personally I thought that this is a last cause from the beginning. Almost right. The operator told him that the best thing will be to speak with the landlord. But what if the landlord doesn’t care? He knows about the problem, he avoid that part of the street. But the people walking on the street?
Maybe some of you are already thinking that this is already too much trouble and to simply let the things be. I must say that I don’t agree with you. And neither my colleagues. They called the police. And surprise. They came, they talk with the tenant and they called the fire department. Which, I don’t know by what miracle, they showed up.
They blocked the street and they cleaned the roof.

Fire department in action

I realize that this doesn’t mean too much for you all in the western countries, that you see a cat in a tree, call the fire department and the kitty is saved. But for me, it was a thrill. To finally see that these kind of things can happen in Romania too. And maybe they’ll become normal some day soon.
Also I would like to see that the building landlord got a huge fine for this, he had to pay the entire hassle and he didn’t escape by just bribing someone. Then a real civilized democracy will start.